Inauguration of the country’s first, centre for Regenerative Medicine in
Chennai,

with
Japanese collaboration.

The Nichi-In
Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) a unit of Nichi-In Bio Sciences
(P) Ltd, an organization for Research, Training and Clinical application –
protocol development in cell therapeutics with emphasis on stem cells,
will be inaugurated in a function to be held in Chennai on Saturday,
the 24th of September 2005 by His Excellency Mr.
Yoshiaki Kodaki, The consul general of Japan at Chennai. The function
will be attended by Dr K.M Cherian, a renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr C.M Habibullah, a pioneer in liver failure treatment and many
eminent scientists and doctors.

The inaugural
ceremony will be followed by a scientific session in which, scientists and
physicians will present their research work / clinical outcome and future
potentials on stem cells based therapy in Corneal disorders, liver failure
treatment, blood cancer treatment and other applications.

This centre is an Indo-Japan joint research effort in regenerative
medicine and has association with leading Japanese medical institutes
(Yamanashi University and Waseda University) and likely the first of
its kind in the country. The stem cell based therapy research work
started in 1998 in Japan, which upon having resulted in many positive
developments, joint researches with Indian institutes and hospitals
started in 2001. This centre (NCRM) apart from coordinating and overseeing
the Indo-Japan joint researches, will also conduct its own research
projects aimed at developing protocols for stem cell based clinical
treatment for Corneal, retinal and skin disorders, liver failure, blood
cancers and orthopedic problems.

Prof. Yuichi Mori and Dr Yoshioka of Waseda University will function as
chief advisors of the centre and Dr. Samuel JK Abraham, a cardiothoracic
surgeon, in Yamanashi University hospital, Japan, will function as the
director.